Traumatic Flashbacks from a Childhood Bathroom

CHILDHOOD can be a really murky time filled with new experiences and traumatic discoveries, as evidenced by the following story:

This true story took place on the playground of Grange Park Primary school in England.

Background: LILA was two classes above me. She was a recess friend and my primary protector from playground bullies. She was an immense girl (like a young, female version of ‘The Thing’), with stubby pigtails and fists like iron kettles. We would have nicknamed her ‘the enforcer’ if we had been precocious or clever enough to come up with a nickname like that in second grade. She watched my back like a hawk during recess and all she required in return was my bag of Salt and Vinegar Walkers that my mom packed in my lunch on Fridays.

One day Lila and I were standing in the playground after lunch sort of just shooting the breeze (whatever that means) and talking about really profound things:

Me (exasperatedly): Yes, EVERYONE in the whole world has a birthmark!
Lila (doubtfully): Are you sure??
Me: Of course I am! I have one too.
Lila (curiously): Let me see!
I pulled down the collar of my uniform shirt and revealed the dot on the side of my neck.
She looked distinctly disappointed.
Me: Don't you have one?
Lila (pauses momentarily): Yes…
Me: Show it to me!
Lila (pauses undecidedly): …A 'right. But you have to come to the loo with me.
Me (first strain of uncertainty): Um….well…uh…okay...but not for long!

We headed to the girl's room…I didn’t want to go, but Lila suddenly seemed resolute and I knew I didn’t want to jeopardize my contract with her. I was scrawny and the playground could be a cold and lonely place without a body guard.
After we entered, Lila walked into a stall and beckoned me in with her.

Me: Err…you need me to actually come in?
Lila: Yes! You can't see it out there now can you?
Me (stomach starts to turn): M-m-maybe we don't have to do this anymore Lila. I'm sure your birthmark is really, really lovely though.
Lila: Don't be daft S, get in here!
Me: Al…right… (enter hesitatingly).
In one fluid motion, Lila maneuvered around me, slammed the stall door, and locked it. Next, she positioned herself in between the commode and me. She began pulling down her tights, followed by her navy uniform skirt.

Me (horrified): LILA! What ARE you DOING??
Lila (impatiently): Showing you my birthmark silly!
Then she turned around (back towards me) to face the commode, and rapidly pulled down her underwear, pointed her bare butt towards me and hollered excitedly: D'YOU SEE IT?!?

It was too much for me. In the confines of a tiny stall here was Lila, the overweight 4th grader, standing in front of me half naked. I started screaming and covered my eyes in fear. Despite my screams she still stood there with an air of fierce pride, patiently waiting for me to comment. Then, curiosity gripped me and I peeked between my fingers and for a brief second got an eyeful: One butt cheek was completely discolored and mottled and the other wasn't.

It was worse than watching the movie “Ghost” which at that time was giving me recurring nightmares. I resumed screaming again, this time instead of wordless sounds I yelled in terror: "I SEE IT! I SEE IT! I SEE IT!" then, unlocked the stall door, and bolted out of the bathroom back to the safety of the playground.

After that incident I learned two things:
1) How to protect myself on the playground and 2) To stop asking people to show me their birthmarks.

Photo credits:www.artlebedev.com